198 



PROF. P. 31. DUXCAN OX THE 



rolling or scouring action of the sea ; for any such movement would 

 have displaced most of them. 



As a generic assemblage, the Eanikot Corals are Eocene in facies; 

 and of the twenty-seven genera three are new, and one is known in the 

 Miocene of the West Indies. Out of fifty species seven are identical 

 with European Eocene types, which are not found, however, as a 

 whole, on one geological horizon in Europe. Some of them are 

 found in the Lower Eocene ; and the others are to be noticed in the 

 deposits of San Giovanni Ilarione and of the Oberburg, in Styria, and 

 in the higher horizon of Castel Gomberto. These forms are located 

 in one series in Sind, and at the bottom of the i^ummulitic group. 

 Eive species are closely allied to European forms out of the same great 

 vertical series ; and about seven others have a distinctly European 

 facies. These 19 species give the Eocene character to the fauna. 



The most distinctive genera are Stylocoenia, Plocojohyllia, Stepha- 

 nophyllia, Stephanocoenia, Pironastrcea, Reussastrcea, Cyclolites, and 

 LitJiarcea. It is remarkable that five well-marked species of the 

 genus Turhinoseris (nobis) should have lived on the Indian area ; 

 they are allied to those of the Eocene of St. Bartholomew in the 

 W est Indies.* The genus is Lower Cretaceous in England ; and, under 

 another name, it has lately been introduced into the ISTattheim 

 oolitic Coral-fauna. 



The presence of a species of Stylinct and of Thamnastrcea recalls 

 the Jurassic and Cretaceous ages : the first is found also in the next 

 or Khirthar series of deposits ; and the last probably lived longer in 

 the southern seas. Only one genus, Placocyathus, is a Miocene type ; 

 and its distribution is West-Indian. 



There is one very remarkable species, Stylocoenia maxima, nobis, 

 in the Eanikot group ; and it is so called from the great size of the 

 intercalicular projections, which are little monticules in the British 

 Stylocoenia emarciata, Lamk. sp. The breadth of the circular base 

 of the coral is 3 \ inches ; and it is 1-j^- inch in height centrally. A 

 concentric epitheca is on the base ; and the upper surface is a mass 

 of calices, and tall columns between them, some reaching inch in 

 height. The minute columns in the British ; species are proved by 

 the examination of these gigantic growths to be stunted or aborted 

 calices. Some of the processes of Stylocoenia maxima have a perfect 

 calice on the top, and the costae come down the side ; others have ill- 

 developed calices, and a mere representation of a columella and septa. 

 It is a common form, and is characteristic of the Eanikot series; 

 its nearest ally is Stylocoenia macrostyla, Eeus's, which is associated 

 with Nummulites planulatus and Cerithium giganteum in the district 

 of San Giovanni Ilarione. 



Young specimens, of course, greatly resemble the European Stylo- 

 coenia emarciata of Bracklesham age. 



Two other species of Stylocoenia are very common : one, S. Vicaryi, 

 was described by D'Archiac and Haime ; and the other is new. It has 

 a large circular epithecate base ; and the calices are large. 



Astrocoenia, that very widely distributed genus, whose range, ver- 

 * P. M. Duncan, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxii. p. 554. 



